ArduiTape/CASDuino/TZXDuino - The cassette player replacements

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Thanks to the work of Kernel Crash we have added uncompressed UEF playback to TZXDuino. This means that Acorn machines can be added to the list of computers that can use TZXDuino. There is standard mode and a Turbo mode that can be switched on in the menu. The turbo mode loads at 1500 baud and does improve the loading time on an Acorn Electron. There is also a 1550 and 1600 option in the TZXDuino.h file but not all Electrons can handle the faster speed.

The more I build and try to improve on the various firmwares I've realised that it's not entirely friendly for new users to edit their firmware for their version of device. In an aim to correct that I have added userconfig.h to the various firmwares.This is just a little settings file that users can change without fear of harming the main programme.It allows you to set which screen you are using and in future which startup logo for some screens and maybe other settings.

For the last few months I've been talking about how to add the PCD8544 (also known as the Nokia) screen to the devices. Unfortunately this has not been as easy as I'd first hoped largely due to differences in the screens. Some work well with the standard 5v of the Arduino Nano, others need the voltage in to be 3.3v. Some need resistors others don't. Finally however I can start to write things up properly though.The software has been written and is fully functioning for a while and whilst there are no improvements in what the ArduiTape/CASDuino/TZXDuino can do, it does use less memory than the other screens and looks a little nicer, in my opinion.

CASDuino Turns Two.I have been reminded by my Facebook posts that today I completed my first CASDuino specific PP9 build two years ago today.I used the PP9N Evatron case as I was inspired by one of the TAPuino builds and it's a nice case to work with.Certain small things have changed since then, button caps, reset switch, diffe…

Thanks to the help of Rafael Molina Chasserot some new features have been added to the TZXDuino and CASDuino firmwares which has freed up some memory as well, which may lead to more features being added in the future.A percentage counter and a timer counter have been added to all screens so that you know how much is left of a file to play and how long it has taken to load.The OLED1306 and PCD8544 use completely new routines for the firmwares saving a lot of memory.Folder navigation is now different. Rather than using the Menu button on TZXDuino or the Stop button on CASDuino to return to the ROOT directory, if you press the stop button when no file is playing you will go up one folder only making it easier to navigate.

TZXDuinoThe TZXDuino has had a menu added so that MSX users can set the Baud rate of TSX files so that they can load faster than normal.A few more emulator only IDs have been fixed so that they are skipped by TZXDuino.

Whilst it may seem there han't been much going on in recent months we have been working behind the scenes on improving and adding more options to the various firmwares and trying to improve the hardware.

The main difference with these firmwares is that OLED 1306 screens are now fully working on all of them and that the PCD8544 has added as a screen option.I will go into the hardware changes needed for that at a later date.

It's been a while since I've updated CASDuino but I've been trying to bring the firmware in line with TZXDuino and ArduiTape to make possible integration of the three firmwares at some future date. The major problem had being getting it to work with the OLED 1306 screen which has now been solved.Included in this firmware update is a 3rd screen option which is for the PCD8544 which I have also been working on and am now almost ready to share instructions on.

What's New:- OLED1306 Support PCD8544 Support Improved Dragon compatibility Improved CoCo compatibility (auto run on CoCo games has not been fixed yet but we are working on it.)

There are also reports of improved compatibility with the Phillips VG 8020 MSX however as far as I know any incompatibilities were due to a difference in the hardware chipset so how this has happened is a complete mystery but a win I will take.